Indian Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee says that India will continue to assist Vietnam in the modernization of its armed forces, particularly the Navy and Air Force.

In a discussion with Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, in Hanoi, Mukherjee said “India is also prepared to strengthen intelligence cooperation with Vietnam.” He met the Vietnamese Prime Minister on may 4th. Mukherjee said that the strategic partnership established between the two countries is based on implicit mutual trust, a convergence of interests including in the field of defence and security and similar approaches on global and regional issues.

“As two dynamic and fast growing economies of Asia, our effort is to add greater content, through concrete programmes and projects, to our strategic partnership, he added.

In 1994, both the countries signed a Protocol on Defence cooperation. Over the years Indo-Vietnamese Defence cooperation has grown steadily through visits by military delegations, ship visits from India and training of Vietnamese Defence personnel in India. Both countries have held a series of India Vietnam Security Dialogue.

On Dec 18, 2007 Gen Phung Quang Thanh in his remarks (to the Defence Minister , AK Antony) put forward various proposals including training of Vietnamese Defence Personnel, enhancing the exchanges of delegations, expanding training cooperation and cooperation between the defence industries of the two countries. He also suggested increase in the frequency of goodwill visits by naval ships, application of information technology in defence and e- technology and technical support to Vietnamese navy. The Vietnamese Defence Minister expressed gratitude to India for providing training to armed forces officers in various areas and said ‘they are bringing back valuable knowledge and skills to their work areas’. So far, a total of 49 officers have attended various Army and Navy Courses and 64 officers have attended English language courses.